NEW CITY, NY – Rockland County will be safer thanks to a grant for $558,588 from the New York State Office for Homeland Security.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day and Rockland Sheriff Louis Falco signed a resolution Monday to accept the funds, which will be used for the County's counter-terrorism teams.

The state grant will help Rockland County be better prepared in case of an attack or mass casualty incident.

"There is not one penny of local County tax dollars involved," the County Executive said. "I give the Sheriff a lot of credit for the ongoing effort to identify grant opportunities from the state and federal governments so we don't have to go to the property tax line. That's how we keep taxes down."

Sheriff Falco said that grants will benefit many activities to improve public safety, including emergency preparedness, active shooter training, first aid kits, among others areas.

"Public safety involves police, fire, EMS," he said. "When we a receive a public safety grant, all of those areas benefit and the public benefits."

The Rockland County Legislature is scheduled to vote on the resolution.